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Top 6 reasons why you have to visit South-east Asia

Here’s 6 reasons why Southeast Asia will give you memories of a lifetime and an unforgettable adventure!

1. Happiness is infectious

When locals are happy, smiling and friendly, it has an immediate knock-on effect. I found the people of Cambodia and Laos to be notably friendly and cheerful, despite the relative poorness of these countries and the former in particular having a very recent traumatic history. When faced with those big beaming smiles, it’s hard to be annoyed at the hassling you might experience at busy sites like Angkor Wat!

2. Food, oh the food!

From washoku Japanese dining to Chinese stir fries, Thai Tom Yum Soup, Indian curry, Korean Kimchee, and condiments from the Spice Islands, Asian food is known the world over. It’s light, so you can eat as much as you want and is often served on plates in the middle of the table rather than being served in front of each individual.

In south-east Asia, eating is more communal, so you order what everyone likes rather than just considering your own tastes, which, trust me, adds fun and variety to the table. If you like meat (mostly beef and pork), spicy & sour noodle soups and tasty rice dishes, then you are going to be a happy person while traveling around Southeast Asia… once you get used to picking up food by manipulating slender elongated sticks that is!

3. The Affordability!

A typical street food meal for £1? A Haircut for £2? A Hostel for £3? A one-hour massage for £4? This is pretty much the standard across all countries in Southeast Asia, with the exception of touristy districts and activities (nicer hotels, restaurants, tours, etc.). Everything is incredibly cheap. The cheapest country that I found in Southeast Asia so far would be Vietnam. These attractive prices allow you to travel longer and have more amazing experiences.

4. Incredible people

People say Cambodia is the land of smiles, but really, it’s the whole of Southeast Asia. The Asian community tend to not raise their voices when they are angry and outright displays of anger are considered to be childish. Call it shogani or mai pen rai, but it’s an amazing talent. Rather than looking to pick a fight, most of the community would rather seek forgiveness, as the world is a better place for it, and they know this, and live it. After immersing yourself in their culture, you quickly figure out that Buddhism is all about peace, love and kindness. Simply put, Buddhists take all the negativity in their life and learn how to turn it around by developing a peaceful and positive mental state of mind.

5. Living on the edge when travelling

One of the reasons that I love Asia, is that it’s a lot more fun if not slightly riskier when travelling around!

For example, In SEA, motorbikes nearly outnumber the amount of cars! They are the transportation of choice that people like to use because they’re cheap, small and efficient. Health and safety officers in England may have a massive problem with the wide birth people are still allowed here, such as dogs in restaurants, chickens on the streets and most importantly fitting as many people in the back of a truck as you want, purely because it’s yours and you can! It’s insane!

6. Natural landscapes

I’m talking about picture-perfect beaches, luscious green countryside and ancient temples here. Did you know that Indonesia has more than 17,000 islands, and likewise, The Philippines has over 7,000? That means that there are hundreds of thousands of untouched beaches in these two countries alone! Or you might want to check out Thai, Cambodian and Vietnamese temples, which are spectacular. There’s genuinely nothing like it!